my own New Establishment list.

I don’t normally read Vanity Fair, although it’s often laying around the house (courtesy of Hope), or the office (courtesy of the beauty biz). Joy the Baker linked to this year’s New Establishment List – an annual list of movers & shakers, aptly described as “those shaping the current zeitgeist.” I find the list itself fascinating (anyone who still doubts the power of social media might want to pull their head out of the sand), but the idea of the list resonates even more. I immediately thought of who would make my personal New Establishment list – who is shaping my own zeitgeist (the spirit of the age, or spirit of the time <– thanks Wikipedia). This isn’t a fangirl list (although I am huge fans of everyone on it), but rather just a list of the people that currently influence me in one way or another. This is the short list. The right now list. It’s not the everyone-who-has-ever-inspired-me list. I’m still an Oprah devotee, but she’s not on the right now list. Make sense? 

The Creative Types

Joy the Baker & Shutterbean (aka Joy & Tracy) – if you aren’t listening to the Joy the Baker podcast – you should start. Smart, funny, creative women. They make me laugh, and wish that I could hang out with them. 

Ali Edwards – always a fan of her scrapbooking. Her new brand story is captivating & inspiring. She continues to impress me on a creative level, and on a live-the-hell-out-of-life level. She’s savvy at business, and savvy about life. She reminds me that my story matters.

Elise Blaha Cripe – first, I think her baby girl is adorable. I was a little late to the Elise blog party – I think that Barb pointed her out to me a couple of years ago. I sometimes read Elise and feel frustrated that I didn’t do more when I was her age – but mostly I just enjoy reading about her creative quests (even those that don’t resonate with me). She inspires me to figure out what I want to create next.

Elizabeth Gilbert – she’s a brilliant writer, and I return to her TedTalks & Google Author talk so very often. Plus, she wrote Eat Pray Love – one of the first books that made me think about my life in a different way. 

The Spiritual Types

Gabrielle Bernstein – every single one of her books has been important to me. I keep Miracles Now on my meditation altar. 

Karen Maezen Miller – I often return to Hand Wash Cold when I need to find my center. I won’t call her a spiritual leader b/c she would resist that…but sheisaspiritualleader. 

Anne Lamott – “You can either practice being right or practice being kind.” Yes, that.

Wayne Dyer – I don’t feel like I’m exaggerating when I say that he is one of the greatest teachers of our time. 

Shauna Niequist – I hesitated, for a moment, about which list to put her on (not that it really matters). She writes about faith, but does so in a way that makes it clear that she’s cool with whatever your faith looks like. Mostly? It’s her emphasis on being present that makes me want to cheer.

Who is on your New Establishment list?